


Speculation

by Teaotter



Category: White Collar
Genre: Crack, Gen, fishmen, promptfest vi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-04
Updated: 2011-08-04
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teaotter/pseuds/Teaotter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mozzie waves the question away. "Pay attention! The Suit isn't human. Not that many Feds are, and really, that would explain a lot –-"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Speculation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elrhiarhodan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elrhiarhodan/gifts).



> Written for Elrhiarhodan's Summer Madness Promptfest VI.

Mozzie falls into step beside Neal on the sidewalk. “I never thought I'd feel sorry for the Suit.”

Neal eyes him sidelong, but doesn’t laugh. “That *is* unlike you, Moz. Did you find something when you were sweeping their place for bugs?”

“Scales.”

Neal blinks. “I don't think Peter's that worried about his weight.”

“Not those kind of scales. Fish scales.” Mozzie pulls a plastic bag from inside his coat. As far as Neal can tell, it holds several oddly-shaped, iridescent objects. “Well, not fish scales, I assume, but you can see my point.”

“No, I don't think I can,” Neal says slowly. “Fish scales aren't that unusual. They do cook you know.”

Mozzie smirks triumphantly. “In the bathroom?”

Neal nods, acknowledging the point. “You're right; that's an unusual place to scale a fish.”

“And these weren't scaled with a knife. These were shed.” At Neal’s raised eyebrow, Mozzie’s smirk edges toward defensive. “I would know! I made a study of deciduous scales in herring when I was younger.”

“Deciduous? Like trees?”

Mozzie waves the question away. “Pay attention! The Suit isn't human. Not that many Feds are, and really, that would explain a lot –“

“Moz,” Neal tries to bring the conversation back to the point, absurd as that point might be. “Really. That's a lot of speculation based on a few fish scales.”

“Hmph.” Moz tucks the plastic bag back in his pocket. “You told me all their vacations were at some beach somewhere. Obviously, he's some kind of saltwater fish –“

“Merman.” Neal can’t believe they’re even having this conversation.

“To-may-to, to-mah-to.”

Neal takes a deep breath and tries not to roll his eyes at his friend. “So what does this have to do with your softening of feelings toward Peter?”

Mozzie sighs. “There are stories of fishmen in dozens of cultures around the world. They all end badly. The poor man -- I'm sorry, merman -- is never quite happy on dry land. Just you wait -- he'll disappear one day, with nothing but a ripple left behind him.”

Neal finally does laugh. “Moz. Peter would never disappear on Elizabeth.”

"True." Mozzie stops for a moment, thinking hard. "Oh! Maybe she's one too!"

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Hook, Line and Sinker](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1566896) by [Theatregirl7299](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theatregirl7299/pseuds/Theatregirl7299)




End file.
